The Trump administration has only just begun its deportation efforts, and the media is already shaping a narrative of victimhood. Reporters highlight nervous parents, crying children, and desperate prayers, all designed to evoke guilt and pressure conservatives into abandoning border enforcement. This strategy has worked in the past, but the immigration crisis has escalated to a point where even Democratic politicians acknowledge the damage these policies have caused in their own districts.

Americans must stand firm in defending their borders and protecting their communities, rejecting the moral blackmail the left is now pushing on a public that has had enough. The media’s tactic of using guilt to undermine border enforcement has been effective before. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-N.Y.) widely publicized display of emotion over the “kids in cages” narrative gained enormous traction in 2018.

As the media attempts to manipulate the public into opposing the deportation policies that Trump was elected to enforce, conservatives must remain resolute.

While some Democrats, such as New York City Mayor Eric Adams, now recognize that unchecked illegal immigration harms their own constituents, the broader progressive movement refuses to back down. The moment Trump’s deportation efforts resumed, the press flooded the news cycle with stories of hardship, portraying illegal immigrants as victims. But the reality is clear: They broke the law, and their removal is not only justified but necessary to uphold the rule of law and protect the American public.

By 2025, Americans have reached a breaking point on immigration. The emotional appeals and "kids in cages" narratives that worked in 2018 no longer hold the same sway. For years, liberals enabled mass immigration by framing it as a bureaucratic misclassification rather than a legal violation. They aggressively stripped the term "illegal" from the conversation and labeled anyone who pointed out legal violations as racist. Some progressives even attempted to grant illegal immigrants voting rights in local and state elections, a move that backfired and sparked widespread public outrage.

Meanwhile, some conservatives played their own version of the immigration game, portraying illegal immigrants as religious, family-oriented, and hardworking — natural allies against the atheistic, socialist left. They minimized illegal entry as a minor infraction, akin to jaywalking, and argued that these new arrivals would ultimately strengthen conservative values.

In reality, mass illegal immigration has weakened the rule of law, disrupted communities, and driven up the cost of living. The middle class has shrunk, family formation has stalled, and the transmission of American traditions and values has slowed to the point where conservatism struggles to sustain itself. The effects of unchecked immigration have reshaped the country — and not for the better.

Illegal immigration is neither a victimless crime nor a bureaucratic oversight. It is often orchestrated by foreign cartels that use it as a conduit for drug smuggling and human trafficking. Gangs infiltrate U.S. cities, seizing control of neighborhoods and entire apartment complexes, as seen in Aurora, Colorado. High concentrations of illegal immigrants create ethnic enclaves where assimilation is minimal, and English language acquisition is avoided.

Hospitals and emergency rooms become overwhelmed as illegal immigrants — many without health insurance — receive care without paying their bills, driving up costs and increasing wait times for American citizens. Public schools, already strained, are forced to divert resources to accommodate non-English-speaking students, reducing the quality of education for native-born children.

Illegal immigration also distorts the labor market by increasing competition for jobs and suppressing wages. The surge in population inflates housing demand, making homeownership even more unattainable for young couples looking to start families.

Not every illegal immigrant is violent, but every crime committed by one is entirely preventable. Laken Riley should still be alive today. Her murder was not just a tragedy but the direct result of Biden administration policies that allowed her killer to remain in the country. Every crime committed by an illegal immigrant who was not deported is a failure of leadership — and every policymaker who enabled it has blood on his hands.

As the media attempts to manipulate the public into opposing the deportation policies that Trump was elected to enforce, conservatives must remain resolute. Illegal aliens are criminals. If deportation causes them distress or hardship, they are not victims — they are experiencing the consequences of their actions. If their children are affected, the responsibility lies with the illegal immigrant, not the U.S. government or the American people. No negative behavior is corrected without consequences, and if the immigration crisis is ever to be resolved, the Trump administration must enforce the law without hesitation.

When Debrina Kawam boarded a New York subway, she had no idea she would become the subject of a horrifying and iconic image. The 57-year-old New Jersey woman was allegedly burned alive by a 33-year-old illegal alien from Guatemala as a police officer looked on. Whenever the media tries to shame conservatives for supporting deportation, the only response should be the image of Debrina engulfed in flames, screaming for help that never came.

Americans do not have to live like this. The Trump administration must not only continue but accelerate deportation efforts and reject the media’s cynical attempts at moral blackmail. The lives of women like Debrina Kawam and Laken Riley depend on it.